Yihyeh Tov…The fog will lift…All will be good

By Hazzan Jenna Greenberg.

Tonight, we will begin the holiday of Lag BaOmer, pausing the mourning customs of the Omer period (not shaving or listening to live music) with a musical celebration, as so many Jews do on this day. Beth El is honored to host David Broza, Israeli music icon whose original lyrics and melodies have been gifted to Jews globally for nearly half a century. Within all of his incredible repertoire is his most iconic song, Yihyeh Tov. Its title is the optimistic Israeli catch-phrase, meaning “all will be good,”  “things will be better,” or “everything will be ok.” Originally composed in 1977 after Anwar Sadat visited Israel, its significance still remains true today. This popular Israeli song echoes the prayer and hope for peace of every Israeli, every Jew, sentiments that we have been feeling especially intensely over these past 19 months since October 7th.

How fitting that, during this week of fog and haze hovering over our synagogue neighborhood, things have gotten slightly better with the news of the release of the last living American hostage, Edan Alexander. May he and all of the released hostages continue to have a Refuat HaNefesh and a Refuat HaGuf, a complete healing of body and soul.

We continue to hope, pray, sing and fight for the release of the remaining 58 hostages. Because things must get better. Yihyeh Tov, we dream of the day when all of our family is free from captivity. While we celebrate Lag BaOmer, singing these words along with David Broza, we hope and pray for the speedy return of all of the Chatufim. 

19 months later, our celebrations continue to be bittersweet. As we count up to Shavuot in these final weeks of the Omer, may we be blessed with the counting up of the number of released hostages, who will, God-willing, reunite with their families and friends, rejoining and reconnecting with our people once again. Cautiously optimistic, we say things can only get better: Yihyeh Tov.